A ‘simple guide’ to reporting graffiti on telecoms cabinets

Cllr Stephen Fenton has drafted the following ‘simple guide’ to reporting graffiti or other damage done to BT or Virgin Media street cabinets, based on recent experiences in trying to get graffiti cleaned up. Stephen would welcome comments on how this guide could be improved!

Is it a BT or Virgin Media (VM) box?

When you come across a cabinet has been subject to a graffiti attack or some other form of vandalism, the first step is to try to work out whether it is a BT or VM box. This information will determine who to report it to. Whilst the council will arrange for graffiti to be cleaned off cabinets for which it has responsibility (eg traffic lights boxes), it is not responsible for telecoms cabinets.

Some BT cabinets are easily identifiable, either because they have a poster on the front of the cabinet or BT stencilled on the side.

BT box front view

BT box front view

BT box side view

BT box side view

BT fibre cabinet

BT fibre cabinet

There is no consistently easy way to identify Virgin Media cabinets but if the chamber lid is marked CATV or NTL it will invariably be a VM cabinet.

Virgin Media box

Virgin Media box

 

 

 

 

 

If you have a fair idea which type of cabinet it is, there are various ways in which you can report damage.

Reporting damage to BT cabinets

The BT web page which contains instructions for reporting damage to cabinets can be found Here . You are invited to call 0800 023 2023 and choose Option 1. You will be connected to an advisor who will ask for details of the location of the cabinet. It’s helpful if you can provide the address of the nearest property and the postcode. You will be given a reference number. The BT cabinet pictured above was reported in mid December 2015 and was cleaned up within four weeks.

Reporting damage to Virgin Media cabinets

The VM web page which contains instructions for reporting damage to cabinets can be found Here. You can choose to report the issue by phone, on 0330 333 0444, or click on ‘Contact Us’ then ‘Something else’ then ‘Reporting an open or damaged cabinet’.

The phone reporting service is automated, so you don’t get to speak to a person but instead answer a number of questions. You should provide as much information as you can, such as the address of the nearest property and the postcode. At the end of the call you will be given a reference number.

Reporting via the website is quite straightforward, but you are not issued with a reference number.

I reported the VM cabinet pictured above in mid December via the automated phone line and got a reference number, but then had to chase up twice via the website route. This did eventually prompt a helpful and attentive e-mail from a representative at the VM Operations Centre who admitted that there had been some ‘minor issues’ with the automated reporting line. He verified the information needed (nearest property and postcode) and undertook to raise an order to have the cabinet cleaned and repainted.

I’d welcome any additions / amendments / improvements to this simple guide.

Crime levels in York rise

Figures published today by the Office of National Statistics (ONS) confirm that crime levels in York are increasing.
National Crime stats Jan 2016

click to enlarge

The main concern in York will be the violence figures which have crept up.

Also on the increase in recent months have been theft offences, drug misuse, non domestic burglaries and sexual offences,

The largest number of reports received by the Police concern anti social behaviour. ASB offences are not monitored on the national crime report.

The local Police commanders are at pains to point out that North Yorkshire, as a whole, is the safest county in which to live, in the whole of the country.

You can find out about crime incidents in your,and neighbouring, streets by clicking here

Flytipping hits Moor Lane

Large quantities of what appear to be commercial (building) waste have been dumped on the lay by off Moor Lane (pictured below).

Local Lib Dem councillor Stephen Fenton has reported the flytipping, and has commented “Hopefully there will some clues found in the dumped material as to its origins, so that the culprit can be identified and prosecuted.”

Moor Lane dumping 1 Moor Lane dumping 2

Police appeal for witnesses following theft on Hob Moor

Hob Moor

Hob Moor

 At about 8.50am on Tuesday 15 December 2015, the victim was walking along the track on Hob Moor Fields towards York, when he was approached by two men who were walking in the opposite direction, towards Acomb.

One of the men put his arm out and stopped the victim, and asked him to hand over any money or his watch. When the victim hesitated, he asked him again. The victim complied and handed the man £18 and his watch. Both of the men then ran off in the direction of York.

The first man is described as white, aged in his early twenties, 6ft 2ins tall, athletic build and broad shoulders. At the time of the incident he was wearing a black Adidas hoody which was pulled up over his head, light grey tracksuit bottoms and black trainers. He had an Irish accent. 

The other man is described as white, aged in his early twenties, 6ft tall and average build. He had the lower half of his face covered with possibly a black scarf and only his eyes were visible. He was wearing a black hoody which was pulled up over his head, loose fitting blue jeans and black Nike trainers. He had a Yorkshire accent. 

PC Amanda Popely, of York Police, said: “I am asking for witnesses who saw anyone in the area of Hob Moor Fields at the time to contact the police, as they may have important information that could assist the investigation.”

If you have any information about the theft, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 2, and ask for PC Amanda Popely or York Police. You can also email amanda.popely@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk. If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. Please quote reference number 12150221963 in connection with this incident.

22 drink driving arrests

In less than a week of Operation Attention, North Yorkshire Police have already made 22 arrests for drink and drug driving offences, resulting in 14 people being charged to court.
xmasdd13-cellThe highest reading so far has been provided on the fourth day of the campaign, by a 44-year-old woman arrested in Scarborough who blew 141ug – four times the legal limit (35ug per 100ml of breath.)

Other high readings include a 29-year-old man arrested in Catterick who blew 87ug – over two times the legal limit and a 21-year-old man arrested in Catterick who blew 88ug – two and a half times the legal limit.

Another drink driving arrest was made in York on Friday morning, where a 32-year-old man provided a reading of 60ug, one and a half times the limit. He had a child in the car with him at the time.

With the festive season upon us and lots of Christmas nights out planned, North Yorkshire Police is encouraging people to plan how they will get home and if they are intending to have a drink, to leave their car and not risk driving whilst under the influence.

Alongside detecting drink driving, officers are also operating roadside drug screening tests. Already there have been two positive results for drug driving – a 67-year-old man who is currently on police bail and the other a 29-year-old man, who is also on bail.

Traffic Sergeant Andy Morton of the Force’s Roads Policing Group said:

“Every Christmas we try and educate people about the devastation and heartbreak that drink and drug driving can cause. We appeal to members of the public that if they have information about anyone who is driving under the influence of drink or drugs, please contact North Yorkshire Police on 101, select option 1 and pass the details to the Force Control Room.”

“For those who would prefer to remain anonymous, please contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555111. You could save someone’s life.”

“Anyone who is considering driving whilst under the influence of drink or drugs should know that we will be out and about waiting. If you are convicted, be aware that you face disqualification from driving a hefty fine and the possibility of a prison sentence.”

13 year old boy assaulted on little Hob Moor in Dringhouses

A 13-year-old local boy has been assaulted on the cycle track between Hob Moor and Tadcaster Road in York.
At 3.30pm on Wednesday 25 November 2015, a young man aged approximately 19 to 20-years-old forcefully grabbed the young victim and pulled him off his bicycle and shook him violently. 

Fortunately the victim did not require hospital treatment but has been left distressed by the incident.

Officers are appealing for information about the assault and are urging anyone who witnessed the incident to come forward.

In particular, they are appealing for information about a white man aged 19 to 20-years-old, about 6ft tall of medium build with short curly ginger hair.  The man was wearing a black hoody and blue or black trousers and was seen to by riding a blue BMX bicycle.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation should contact police on 101, select option 2, and ask for Constable James Mills. You can also email james.mills@northyorkshire.pnn.police.uk

Please quote North Yorkshire Police reference number 12150209471.

If you wish to remain anonymous, you can pass information to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

River search for missing man continues in York. Police seek witnesses to assault in Clifford Street.

Extensive police enquiries are ongoing and river searches have resumed in the effort to find Rory Johnson in York.

Rory Johnson

The 29-year-old from Skipton was last seen by the friend he travelled to York with at 12.15am on Friday 20 November 2015, when Rory left the York Central Travel Lodge on Piccadilly where they were staying the night.

It has been established that Rory went to a nearby pub with a fellow hotel guest having earlier met him and his father in The Postern Gate Wetherspoon pub at around 11.30pm on Thursday.

Read more

Witness appeal following assault in York

Police are appealing for witnesses and information following a serious assault in Clifford Street, York.

The incident happened outside Subway between 2.30am and 2.45am on Sunday 8 November.

A 21 year old man from Selby was assaulted and he sustained serious facial injuries.

Anyone who witnessed the incident or who has any information, is asked to contact police. Dial 101, press 2 and ask to speak to DC Andrea Robinson in the York Serious Crime Team.

Alternatively, Crimestoppers can be contacted anonymously on 0800 555 111.

Please quote reference number 12150198422 when passing on information.

 

Counter Terrorism Awareness Week launches today

Police in the UK are today, Monday 23 November, launching the second national Counter Terrorism Awareness Week (#CounterTerrorismUK) reminding the public that they have a key role in helping to prevent and protect the UK from the threat of terrorism.
Counter terrorism advice

Recent events in Paris have brought into sharp focus the type and scale of threat posed by international terrorism, and the relationship between the police and the public needs to be stronger then ever before to counter this threat.

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Neil Basu, from the UK Counter Terrorism Policing Network said: “I cannot overstate the importance of the role that the public plays in helping to protect the UK against the threat of terrorism. Since the threat level was raised to ‘severe’ last year, police activity has increased accordingly in terms of number of arrests and investigations we’re carrying out. But just as importantly, we’re getting more calls and more information from the public which is vital to us.
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